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Learn how to utilize PHP file system functions to create an intuitive list of folders and files, much like what you'd see in a standard file explorer.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/62546787/ asked by the user 'qadenza' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/3044737/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/62546838/ provided by the user 'Illya' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/12978193/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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How to List Folders and Files in PHP Like a File Explorer

When working with file systems in PHP, it's common to find yourself overwhelmed by the multitude of functions available. If you need a straightforward list of folders and files—akin to what you would see in a file explorer—you’re in the right place! This post will demonstrate how to achieve this using PHP's built-in file system functions.

The Problem

In many web applications, you may want to display directory contents dynamically. For instance, you might want to list folders and files to allow users to navigate through their filesystem. The question arises: How can you easily create a directory listing that differentiates between folders and files?

Let’s break it down step by step:

The Solution

To achieve this, you can leverage PHP's glob() function, which allows you to find pathnames matching a defined pattern. Here's how it works:

Step 1: Define the Path

First, you need to set the path you want to investigate. In this example, we’ll look at the "home" directory.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 2: Use the glob() Function

Next, use the glob() function to retrieve an array of files and folders within the specified path. The pattern home/* tells PHP to match everything within the 'home' directory.

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Step 3: Loop Through and Identify Files and Folders

Now that you have an array of the items in the directory, the next step is to loop through this array to determine whether each entry is a file or a directory. You can use the is_dir() function for this check.

Here's how you can implement this logic:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Complete Code Snippet

Putting it all together, your code will look like this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion

By following these simple steps, you can easily create a directory listing in PHP that displays folders and files similarly to a traditional file explorer. This method not only offers a straightforward implementation but also keeps your code organized and easy to understand.

Now, you can enhance your web applications by providing users with a navigable filesystem interface. Happy coding!